Jill Biden to stump in Asheville

Oct. 25, 2012

Jill Biden, shown here with husband Vice President Joe Biden and former President Bill Clinton and his wife Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, will campaign for President Barack Obama in Asheville on Sunday. / AP

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ASHEVILLE — Vice President Joe Biden’s wife and oldest son will stump for President Barack Obama in North Carolina even as Republicans continue to say the campaign has given up on the Tar Heel State.

Jill Biden and Delaware Attorney General Beau Biden will visit the Obama campaign headquarters on Hilliard Avenue in Asheville on Sunday afternoon. They plan to stop at the campaign headquarters in Huntersville earlier in the day.

“Given the fact that we have seen positive turnout in early voting and the latest PPP poll has the race tied, I would say the campaign is still very much invested in North Carolina,” said Walton Robinson, spokesman for the state Democratic Party. “We are excited to have Jill Biden here.”

Republicans have noted the increased GOP turnout in early voting and a comment by strategist Paul Begala at the pro-Obama super PAC Priorities USA Action that the president has “given up” on winning the state as evidence that Obama has dropped North Carolina.

Obama hasn’t campaigned in the state since his party’s convention in Charlotte in September, said Rob Lockwood, spokesman for the state Republican Party.

The party put together an airport runway in an alley in Winston-Salem on Thursday, complete with an Obama campaign logo and sign that said, “Land here,” as Obama flew over on his way from Virginia to Florida, Lockwood said.

“There were a lot of people waving to him, but he didn’t stop,” Lockwood said, “which isn’t exactly doubling down.”

The Obama campaign on Thursday took exception to the characterization that the president has given up on the state.

The campaign sent a summary of a story on the website Business Insider that reported enthusiasm among African-American voters is high. The summary said Obama has continued to buy advertising in North Carolina and said saying his lack of a recent visit is the same as saying Romney has conceded New Hampshire.

The time of Biden’s Asheville visit and other details were unavailable Thursday night. For updates, see CITIZEN-TIMES.com.